When Sushmita Sen first went for adoption back in 2000 at just 24, those around her had a lot to say. Some questioned the decision, some called it a publicity stunt by a young, dazed celebrity, and some couldn’t help but applaud her courage with absolute awe. Well, 20 years since then, Sushmita has effectively proved her prowess as a great mother. But, of course, there’s more to the credit of this zealous woman who brought country’s very first Miss Universe crown to India back in 1994. And while the entire country takes great pride in Sen’s Miss Universe journey, it is, actually her Miss India journey that remains special to the actress.
Sushmita can be seen talking about her Miss India experience in a clip from the show Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai that has freshly resurfaced on social media and is being circulated for all the right reasons. In the video, she can be seen sharing the details of her winning gown that she wore for the last round of the pageant. In a moment of absolute humility, Sushmita shares that the gown was actually stitched by a local masterji who was working out of a garage and the fabric for the same was actually sourced from Sarojini Nagar, a flea market in Delhi.
Here’s a picture of her gown:
“We did not have so much money to afford designer gowns on stage; we were supposed to wear four different costumes. We were middle-class people and we knew our restrictions. My mother said, ‘So what? They are not going to look at your clothes, they are going to look at you.’ So we went to shop at Sarojini Nagar market. Downstairs, in the garage, there was a local tailor who made petticoats. We gave him the material and told him, ‘This will come on TV, so do a good job.’ He made my winning gown out of that fabric, and my mother made a rose out of the remaining fabric,” she shares.
But that’s not it. Even the gloves that she wore with the gown were actually makeshift and made with black socks. Here’s the video:
However, more than the details of her dress, it is actually the wisdom she shares in the video snippet that has been winning people all over again. As Sushmita says, “The day I won Miss India wearing that gown was a very big day for me. I realised that you don’t need money to get what you want; your intention should be right.”
Trust Sushmita Sen to always leave you amazed by her charismatic charms. However, it has to be the impeccable set of values that she has always abided by that make her the inspiration that she truly is. The actress is all set to make her comeback to the screen with a web series, titled Aarya, this year and we can hardly wait to welcome her back on the screen!
Featured Image: Instagram
